Five Mistakes That Can Make Your Outdoor AC Unit More Attractive To Thieves

Is your HVAC system struggling to turn on and off? Learn to recognize HVAC problems early so you can avoid permanent damage.

Five Mistakes That Can Make Your Outdoor AC Unit More Attractive To Thieves

Five Mistakes That Can Make Your Outdoor AC Unit More Attractive To Thieves

27 June 2017
 Categories:
, Blog


As a homeowner with central air, you should be aware of the fact that outdoor AC units typically contain copper. Copper is a particularly valuable metal, and this makes AC units a potential target for burglars.

There are a lot of things you can do as a homeowner that can make it easier for thieves to steal the copper from your outdoor unit. If you live in an area where burglaries are not uncommon, you should be particularly concerned.

Fortunately, you can minimize the chances of a burglary by avoiding the following five mistakes:

Neglecting to install an alarm

An alarm can be installed onto your outdoor unit to warn you if anyone is tampering with it or interrupting its voltage in some way. Thieves will typically need to cut refrigerant lines to get at the copper the outdoor unit contains, so AC unit alarms are typically positioned to warn of tampering with refrigerant lines or interference with the unit's voltage. 

Making no attempt to have your unit blend in with landscaping and construction features of your home

A prominent outdoor unit sitting in your yard can be a clear target for thieves. Ideally, you should hide your unit with some shrubbery or some architectural feature so that thieves pass over your home and don't notice. 

Keeping your outdoor unit brightly lit but not installing cameras

While keeping you outdoor unit inconspicuous can help you to avoid attracting thieves, leaving your unit in a place that doesn't get any light at nighttime can also leave it susceptible to burglary. 

The best solution is to install a motion-activated light and camera somewhere around your unit. If you invest in security features such as these, you should also put up a sign or indication somewhere on your unit that warns that the unit is under surveillance. This can deter thieves from even trying to get away with a robbery. 

Not placing a cage with a lock around the unit

Steel cages can be purchased that go around the outdoor unit and prevent thieves from getting at it. The amount of extra time and effort it takes to burglarize a caged outdoor unit is likely to deter any thieves from attempting to steal your copper. 

Not using GPS technology to track your device

Another security feature you can add to your outdoor unit is GPS tracking. GPS tracking can help you get back your AC parts after they have been stolen by tracking the burglar's steps after the robbery takes place.

You can read more about AC repair or contact a company to help you with troubleshooting problems.

About Me
Keeping My HVAC System On Point

About a year ago, I could tell that our HVAC system was really starting to struggle. No matter what we did, the system seemed to have a hard time turning on and off. When our air was running, it smelled terrible. In the winter, it seemed like our home was never warm enough. To ward off sudden failures, we hired a professional to come out and inspect our system. After a thorough analysis, we discovered that there were some serious fan problems. This blog is all about recognizing HVAC system problems early and keeping your system on point, so that you can avoid permanent damage.

Tags